


Conversations In The Lounge

by Esperata



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, Friendship, Love, M/M, Sex Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-20 17:22:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21060368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esperata/pseuds/Esperata
Summary: Jervis is enjoying a chat with Oswald at the Iceberg Lounge. Jonathan is enjoying his own chat with Edward a degree less.





	Conversations In The Lounge

Jonathan was interrupted in his surveying of the room by an aggravatingly familiar voice.

“He’s not done talking with Ozzie.”

He cast his gaze to the side to see the Riddler sat at the bar sipping a lurid cocktail. With a scowl, he turned to look towards Penguin’s private booth and, sure enough, there was Jervis chatting away still.

“They should have been done an hour ago,” Jonathan complained.

Edward merely shrugged.

“They’re the two worst gossips in the underworld. Did you really expect them to be done on time?”

Jonathan made no reply to that. He hadn’t expected Jervis to be ready to leave at the agreed time. That was why he was here now, an hour later.

“Why don’t you sit down?” Edward suggested. “Play a game with me.”

“I’m not interested in any of your games Nygma.”

“I meant chess,” Riddler protested. “I have so few people worth playing with. You’ll make an interesting change of pace.”

Jonathan was inclined to refuse out of sheer spite but the fact was Jervis may well be some time still and he had little interest in standing around the nightclub like a sore thumb. Reluctantly he slid onto the chair alongside Nygma.

The other man quickly pulled out a small travel board from a surprisingly deep pocket and opened it out.

“A gift from Ozzie,” he commented. “To keep me from losing my mind to boredom when he’s otherwise busy. Though he’s surprisingly good at the game himself.” He grinned. “Although it must be said he has a terrible habit of distracting me.”

Jonathan rolled his eyes as he moved his first playing piece.

“I do _not_ need to hear about your love life.”

♦

“So. How’s the love life?”

Oswald’s quick eyes had spotted the arrival of Scarecrow and Jervis’ flickering glance showed that he too was aware of his lover’s appearance. He grinned complacently.

“Oh just wonderful! Jonathan is so attentive. Quite the dear.”

“Really?” Oswald’s hand stilled lifting his teacup. “You’ll forgive me but he doesn’t exactly give the impression of a soft romantic.”

“Well, no,” Jervis conceded, “but he shows his affection in myriad little ways.”

“I’m not sure Edward would know how to show his affection in ‘little ways’,” Oswald huffed in fond amusement as he took a sip. “With him it’s a fully-fledged drama or nothing.”

Jervis’ smile faltered.

“Everything is alright with you two isn’t it?” he enquired fretfully.

“Oh absolutely!” Oswald looked shocked at the question. “Don’t misunderstand me. I enjoy it. There’s nothing quite so warming as being publicly sought and wooed.”

Jervis settled at the reassurance.

“Jonathan really isn’t one for public displays. Yet he leaves me in no doubt of his continuing affection. It is quite dreamy the small domestic habits we’ve formed. And I simply adore it when he pets my hair.”

Oswald hastily hid his expression behind the teacup.

“It sounds positively enchanting.”

♦

“You’ve never tried his enchanting?”

Jonathan stared at him as if he’d suggested he serenade the Batman.

“I’m just saying,” Edward persevered. “It could be fun. A lot of people enjoy giving up control in the bedroom. Or anywhere else one chooses to indulge.”

His slow grin and smirk across to Penguin sat in his secluded booth alarmed Jonathan and he quickly tried to shut down this new avenue of conversation.

“No. There’s never been any question of Jervis using his mind control cards in that situation. I’m quite sure he wouldn’t want to.”

“You never know ‘til you ask.” He paused briefly as he considered the board again. “What about your fear toxin?”

“I beg your pardon?!”

Edward didn’t even have the decency to look up at his affronted tone and merely shrugged.

“Just thought it might be a kink of yours.”

“I am… its not… I never…” Jonathan spluttered as he attempted to deny any such accusation.

“Well you must have _some_ sort of secret eccentricities,” Riddler insisted. “I bet he talks all kinds of nonsense about Wonderland when you’re at it.”

Jonathan flushed.

“Any… habits… we may or may not have are entirely our own business.”

“Well, you’re no fun.”

♦

“It’s always so much fun!”

Oswald couldn’t conceal his fondly amused smile at that and Jervis blushed, feeling abashed at his enthusiastic burbling.

“It must sound so domestic to you though,” he concluded.

“I’ll admit, Eddie can be a tad more… experimental than I’d generally think to be. And sometimes it must be said, it’s a total disaster. The time with the stool was frankly embarrassing.”

Jervis determinedly didn’t ask.

“Sometimes however you discover something that opens your eyes to a whole new world of pleasure. I’m not saying you need to go all-out bondage, but a few toys perhaps. I’m rather fond of the edible paints myself. Although Eddie does need restraining for that if I’m going to enjoy my fill.”

“I had looked at a few flavoured lubricants,” Jervis admitted cautiously.

“That would be a good way to ease you into things certainly.”

“And I had wondered… well… I thought Jonathan would look rather appealing if he maybe tried a lipstick.”

It was a skill developed over years of living with an exhibitionist like Edward that allowed Oswald to restrain any reaction to the comment.

“If it’s something you might like then suggest it to him. The worst he can do is say no. And it might encourage him to ask you for a favour in return.”

♦

“I’ll do any favour in return,” Edward pleaded. “Just give me some detail. A clue or hint even!”

“No. Our love life is private. I certainly won’t discuss it at a public bar.”

Jonathan snuck his queen into a strategic position to pounce a few moves down the line while the Riddler was fixated on breaking his silence.

“Come on! I tell you about me and Ozzie!”

“I don’t ask you to,” Jonathan retorted. “In fact, I rather wish you wouldn’t.”

“You’re just jealous.” Ed huffed and slumped back in an exaggerated sulk. “Because our love life is so much more exciting than yours.”

Jonathan opened his mouth to retort against that when he felt a familiar gloved hand rub his shoulder.

“Are you ready to go dear?” Jervis enquired politely.

Blinking back to his surroundings, Jonathan took a final glance to the board to make sure his strategy and final victory would be clearly apparent when Nygma came out of his snit.

“Yes,” he concluded. “Ready when you are.”

“Good.” Jervis smiled coyly up at him. “Because there’s a couple of things I want to discuss with you. In private.”

As Jervis slid his hand into Jonathan’s and tugged him along in his wake, Jonathan recovered his bewitched senses long enough to throw a smug smirk back at Riddler. He knew whatever Jervis had to share would be infinitely more fulfilling than Nygma’s most lurid suggestions.

Because all he needed to satisfy his desires was Jervis’s love.


End file.
